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Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Your wisdom teeth are the last teeth that erupt and grow into your mouth. These teeth come in AFTER all of the other teeth have grown in and are stabilized in place. You have a total of four wisdom teeth, which includes two on each side with one on the top and one on the bottom.

It is not uncommon for patients to only see one, two, or three of the wisdom teeth grow in or they may never have them grow in. This is not alarming or concerning because it happens. When your wisdom teeth grown into your mouth, they enter through the gums and erupt.

If a wisdom tooth never completes the process and does not erupt above the gum line, then it is considered to be impacted and it needs to be handled in a different manner than the ones that have erupted fully. Wisdom teeth often present a problem because there is no room in the mouth for them, so they place pressure on your other teeth and cause them to move around and shift over time. This occurs when the mouth space is too crowded.

You will likely receive an extraction for any of your wisdom teeth that do not fit into your mouth properly or for those teeth that have become decayed. If you do not treat wisdom teeth in your mouth, you may develop an infection, or you may have to deal with other oral health concerns.

If you would like to learn more about wisdom tooth extraction or what to expect, contact Thornton Town Center Family Dental today. Our orthodontists will sit down with you and go over the information.

Impacted Wisdom Tooth: What to Know

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, you will be told what type it is. The first type is a partially erupted wisdom tooth, and this occurs when the tooth is only slightly visible from the jaw bone. The tooth may have started to come in but was stopped because there was not enough room for it to fully erupt. These teeth often sit at an angle within the mouth.

The next type is the fully impacted wisdom tooth. This means that the tooth is not visible at all from the jaw bone and is buried within the gums. This tooth can be on either side of the mouth and either on the top or bottom. These ones often do not come in because there is a tooth already in front of it and it has no room to move.

These types of impacted wisdom teeth need to be surgically removed. Our oral surgeons on staff are able to remove them for you and provide you with the care you need. When you come into our office, we will look over your teeth and determine whether or not your wisdom teeth need to be extracted or not.

When Do Wisdom Teeth Grow In?

There is no definitive answer on this and most of them erupt somewhere between 17 and 25. The process will not occur until all of the permanent teeth have erupted and are in place, so you will never see a child with wisdom teeth. Typically, patients will know when the eruption starts to take place because they may experience pain. The pain is usually from the tooth having no room to actually grow in.

Often times, you will be told you need to have your wisdom teeth surgically removed BEFORE they become painful and cause problems. When the tooth starts to erupt and becomes stuck, it can be more difficult to remove.

What to Know About the Extraction Process

When you come into our Thornton office for an exam, you will learn more about your wisdom teeth and what the recommended steps are. Our orthodontists will handle the procedure in house for you and discuss all of your options, so that you can make the best decision for yourself.

During the process, you will receive a local anesthetic that numbs the area where the tooth needs to be extracted from. Once the extraction has been made, you will then receive stitches to close up the area. If you do not receive dissolvable sutures, you will need to come back into our office to have them removed.

What Type of Care is Needed After the Extraction?

You will, of course, need to take special care of your teeth once the extraction has been done. The area will heal by itself, but you should take steps to prevent infection. Our dentists will provide you with proper aftercare instructions too.

We do recommend that you strictly follow any instructions you are given for care. If you bleed a lot or notice that the pain is unbearable, then you should call our office right away, as this is not normal.

To alleviate any discomfort of swelling that you may experience, you should place a cold pack on your face. You may also be prescribed an antibiotic to help with healing.

Schedule Your Wisdom Tooth Appointment Today

Your wisdom teeth should be removed before they start to cause significant problems in your mouth. This means that they should be removed BEFORE eruption, which also means surgery. If you allow your wisdom teeth to grow in, they may crowd your mouth or grow in with decay on them.

At Thornton Town Center Family Dental, we are here to help you and provide you with the dental care you need. Our dentists are experienced and trained in wisdom teeth removal. Do not risk your dental health to avoid wisdom tooth extraction. Call us today to schedule your consultation in Thornton.

Reviews

We Appreciate All of Our Thornton Patients!

Thornton Town Center Family Dental would not be as successful without the support from all of our patients. We are proud to be able to serve the local area and thank you for all of the referrals you have sent our way! Below, you will find some of our recent reviews from Thornton patients!

Zoey Wright

I had a million questions that I wanted to ask and they did an awesome job and answering every single one. And the staff do an awesome job at making me feel comfortable while they work on my teeth!

1 month ago

Michael L.

ALL the Doctors and staff are extremely nice and very professional. The office is very clean and modern. They have all the latest technology and every one seems very skilled at what they do. I recommend this place for anyone who needs good and honest Dentist!

3 months ago

Joshua M.

The doctors here are professional and super friendly. They have a willingness to help and cater to thier patients needs. Visits are very quick, so scheduling is hassle-free aswell. Would we not be moving out of state, my wife and I would love to make Thornton our forever dentist